I'd guess 4th change, 1922-1924? I wanted a shooter in 32-20 and that's what I am getting. She'll win few beauty contests. I'd say that somebody tried to save her and never finished or got as far as they could go.





"Self-realization. I was thinking of the immortal words of Socrates, who said, "... I drank what?"

Oh, I don't know, some sand paper and gloss black spray paint will bring that back to looking new in no time! Really, what more can you ask from a shooter? Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. She's not ugly, she has character, yeah that's it, character.

Almost certainly it shipped in early 1921. A definite candidate for Teflon coating.

Range report? Looks like a project but I like it!

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Hue 68 noli me tangere

wow. What does the barrel bore look like??

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Rick
SWCA #2727 , SWHF #435

She's had a hard life, obviously.
Good project piece.

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Ret'd LEO
SWCA #2275

Heck, I bet that will buff right out.

Ren wax


Charlie

Cold blue and some TLC will have her looking just fine. Resist the urge to go the spray paint gun finish route, she's much to classy for that treatment.
I've seen some cold blue jobs that looked surprisingly nice!
Gary

Wow for a second I thought you were referring to my ex wife!!! Congrats on your find.

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Baby Chief Admirer
SWCA 2870

The bore is described as decent with minor pitting. The timing and lockup are described as good. We'll see once she arrives. Hell, for $136, I figured that I really couldn't lose.



"Self-realization. I was thinking of the immortal words of Socrates, who said, "... I drank what?"

Slow day. Took 10 posts to get there. Larry

"I've seen some cold blue jobs that looked surprisingly nice!"
Occasionally cold blue works out OK for a full bluing. About 4 years ago, I picked up a S&W 12 gauge pump (yes, they do exist) which looked like it had been stored out in the swamp for the last 10 years. I paid $25 for it, as it seemed to function OK and the bore wasn't rusted. Some sandpaper on both the wood and the metal, followed by Tru-Oil on the stock and cold blue on the metal made it look pretty darn good, at least to the point I'm not ashamed to be seen with it. And it still looks good today. I think I used Oxypho Blue, but I don't remember. It's become a favorite as it fits me better than any of my numerous other shotguns.

I'll bet she loves to be shot! Give her a home and some TLC.

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Vietnam Veteran, 68-69

Thought you were talking about an X-wife. LOL

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John

fooled me. I thought by the title you had met my last ex-wife. looks like a good winter project to me. lee

I have seen (and had done) some very presentable bluing jobs done with a bead blast or sand blast instead of polishing. Like my old Ruger Flattop (44mag 2nd year) this one looks beyond the bead blast stage. My Ruger was blasted with a course abrasive (Black Beauty?) that hid 95% of the pitting, protected the metal, and held more lubricant...and it eventually wore down to become almost pretty! The bore was a little rough, but shoots cast bullets at 44 Spl levels into tiny groups at 50 yards. Good luck with yours!

That looks like a candidate for a parkerized finish. It is not that hard and you can buy kits. The finish is dark and durable.

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Tom
NRA Pistol Inst

Now if I could just find a size chart for the old Brauer or RedHead holsters. So I could get some old leather for her.



"Self-realization. I was thinking of the immortal words of Socrates, who said, "... I drank what?"

Well, she arrived. The bore is pristine! How does the surface look like that and the bore looks like new?



"Self-realization. I was thinking of the immortal words of Socrates, who said, "... I drank what?"

Referring to the previous (#17) posting, I also have bead blasted and hot-blued several old relics, both handguns and long guns, and they have turned out quite well. At the time, I worked in a shop with both a bead blast cabinet and bluing tanks at my disposal, so it didn't cost me anything. Bead blasting followed by phosphating and Teflon coating is reasonable as a DIY project, provided you can find someone with a bead blast cabinet. Teflon applied over phosphate is an extremely durable and corrosion-resistant finish, and looks pretty good to boot. I have done quite a number of guns that way also.

Well, she arrived today. Lockup and timing are solid. The bore is pristine. How does she get an exterior like that and a like new bore?

Leave her be and just enjoy it!

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John
S&WCA Life Member

A new set of vintage scales and some older leather will be her only additions.

Updated: replaced scales and added a Hunter holster and unmarked belt.

Did you ever meet old and ugly that was gorgeous?
You have now. Just leave her alone and shoot.

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Mike 2796
SoFo Bunch member

I am never sure why the first thing that comes to mind with many here is telling the owner 57 ways to change the way the gun looks. I would be proud to take that one to the range just as it is. What is wrong with honest wear and tear? Shoot it, clean it, and enjoy it for what it is, a piece of S&W history.

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Gary
SWCA 2515

First "under the buckboard seat gun" I've seen in awhile!!

Granny Clampetts's I'm guessing???????

I'd say that somebody got way too far! Leave it be and don't do any further damage.

NO SPRAY PAINTED FINISH EVER!!!

At that price you have nothing to lose. I would polish the metal shiny (the finer the polish job the better the results) and use some cold blue. I used it on this rifle that I bought for $11.50 and along with a refinish on the wood I think it turned out OK. Shoots great.

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No life story has happy end.

I hooked up with a Colt Python in a bar once. But I woke up next to a Jennings .25 Auto. Well used guns that look like this but are mechanically sound are my favorite guns to find.

I own her slighty younger sister that was nickle finished, it has a relatively similar finish. It also came with very tight lock-up and great bore. It looked like it had spent alot of time in a drawer, rode hard and put away wet, and used as a tack hammer to put up wanted posters or help install a barb wire fence or two judging by the tack marks on the butt.
I had always looked at pictures folks had posted of their old worn pistols and wondered just how rough they looked before a trip to Ford's and the like. Although I understood the fact that the cost of a restoration was something you could never recover for something like one of these pistols, I was always curious as to whether or not it could be accomplished.
So my question to you experts is basically could a pistol that looks like this be brought back to "near new" condition, considering the fact that mechanically it is very good. I also understand that to many people money is no object of consideration, they just get done what they want done. If money were the object, what would a full restoration of a revolver in the condition of this 32-20 cost?

Saxon Pig. Define: coincidence.


I paid $56 for mine. Great little shooter. I bought it for my daughter when she is old enough, she's 3 now.

I agree 100%!! The finish NEVER caused any gun to shoot tighter groups!

I'm amazed that you found replacement grips that so closely match the chipped originals. I agree with those who say let it be. Looks good to me.

The new (to her) stocks and the Hunter rig really finish her off nicely.
With a perfect bore I wouldn't call her ugly, I'd say she was experienced

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Rick
SWCA #2727 , SWHF #435

She just has a little "character" Fits into the "if only this gun could talk" category

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John

+1, i like it. IF you want it to look brand new buy a new one. You are never going to get those pits out..it doesn't need to anyway. i love the look.